Intro
That's the second post from that series which in total will include 16 posts. If you want to read the previous legend published by me, check this post.
It's the legend, so obviously it's not the story I created, but it may vary a bit from the versions that other people know. I wrote it on my own, with my words, in a way it was said to me when I was a child and how I remembered it.
The legend about the good devil, who gave a pipe to Janek
It was a long time ago. In a land far away, beyond seven mountains, over seven rivers.
According to the inferno law, the devils must fulfill their diabolical duty (in Poland we have more than one devil) at least once a year, but the devils are very lazy. Therefore, officials prepared a monument to combat laziness. After a hellish discussion, that is, a stormy discussion, Lucifer approved a lot of relevant paragraphs, the most important of which was: "If the devil does not serve a hellish cause at least once a year, then ... ". Better not to mention what could happen to that devil ...
Smentk was a pretty bad devil. In any case, in hell, he was not respected much. "Oh, boy. It's bad" - he said to himself - the new law is very restrictive. It's not enough anymore that I howl in the forest at night or show my bright eyes from the closet to the children. It's not enough to hide the tools when people look for them... I may be funny, but my laziness in making bad things will not let me stay for a long time in hell... I wouldn't do more bad things but with that new law, I have to figure something out.
Smentk has just received an official announcement which said that he has to improve his skills immediately. It was late autumn. Smentk scratched his hairy head the whole day, night, and one more day because an ordinance would make his skin hurt. He felt forced to do evil, to work devilishly, and he was just looking for a warm angle for the winter.
On the third day, Smentk could not find a place for himself. He was angry like a hundred real demons. There was no help. Willingly or not, Smentk disguised as a traveling blacksmith tossed the sack with tools behind his back, leaned against his bows, and headed towards the people with the sincere intention of distorting some innocent soul.
A thick curtain of October mist was rising slowly from the meadow by the river. Janek (or Jasio, how some people used to call him), as of custom, was herding three cows. Crouched next to a small fire, he tried to warm his shapely hands. The cold of one of the last days of October penetrated with thousands of needles under Jasio's coat. He would have brought the cows to the farm, but the hostess strictly ordered that the cow was sent to the farm for the evening milking, not earlier. There was no help. Jasio watched as he was ordered if the cows are not going to someone else's field if they do not get lost. If it would happen, the hostess and host would be flayed. And no one would protect Jasio. His father is far away, he knows his father went abroad to work. The mother fell ill and died. Although his distant relatives took him in, he did not have life easy. Every morning he got up to dawn and he led the cows to the pasture to eat. All that for a miserable slice of bread.
Jasio warmed his hands over the fire, hit the coat with his hands, ran up and down for a small cliff towards the fire, but it didn't help much. He still felt cold and miserable. Suddenly, out of nowhere, as from under the ground, a figure stood in front of the boy.
-Who is here?
-Hey boy, don't be afraid, it's me, don't you see, Kuba, a blacksmith. I walked this road from the ford. I could see a fire and I came because the town must be close and I don't know if I can see anything in this fog anymore.
The blacksmith yanked a large leather sack from his shoulder. Janek knew he heard a knock and the iron creaked on the sackcloth. "Probably tools and horseshoes, " guessed. The blacksmith produced a snuff-box from an open pocket. Behind his thumb, he sprayed a big pinch of snuff and he smelled it. He sneezed so hard that Jasio thought sparks were being spilled.
-God bless you, blacksmith, bless you.
-You were scared, huh? Yes Yes. I see that you take care of the cows in the pasture and you are afraid of the stranger.
-I wasn't scared. Just ... suddenly you appeared as if you had grown from the ground.
-And that's good, I grew up off the ground! haha ...
Kuba the smith came closer. He left the bulge pulled out from behind his coat and he stretched his hands over the fire.
-You do not feel cold? It's so cold it would be a shame even to leave the dog outside.
-It's cold... - confirmed Janek.
-Yes, yes, skinny, cold, and probably hungry.
-Hungry... - Janek repeated. - No. Oh, I still have one
slice of bread. I will share it with you.
-Your heart is good, boy. It's beautiful. I will not refuse a bite or two.
Janek broke the slice and handed most of it to the blacksmith. They were silent for a moment, looking at each other kindly and eating the bread.
-You've hosted me in the best possible way, son. You gave me the gift from your heart, even if you, son, needed it more than me. You shared your bread without hesitation.
The blacksmith undid the strap that was wrapped around the lump in his lap.
-Now I'll share something with you. - he said.
The tramp brought out a large chunk of cheese and sausage and half a loaf of fresh bread.
-Come on, you silly. Drink and eat as much as you want.
With that said, he pulled out of his pocket a knife, and he divided the cheese, the sausage, and the bread into equal parts.
-You would also need something to drink - he reached into the
pocket of it and took out a clean mug. - Well, you have three cows and you can milk them to this cup..
-But the host - Janek hesitated - when she finds out, she will be angry.
-I see that you are a good boy and your host is strict... Go and take half a cup only. It's just a sip for me and you, but it has to be enough.
Janek ran to the cows and, after a while, was sitting by the fire, eating what the blacksmith put in his handfuls until his ears trembled. While they were eating, the boy told him all about himself: about the mother who died, and the father, who is somewhere in the world, and about the hosts hostile ... When Janek finished, the blacksmith stood in
silence for a long time.
-Fate is hard, boy, it treated you cruelly ... But now, thanks to me, it can change a bit. Look I got a full bag, my profession is good. Work for me, and you will not know the poverty. We'll drag the cows to the river and kill them for your hurt. Let those monsters of host and hostile feel some pain.
-What are you saying, blacksmith? I'm afraid to listen to it! I will not go with you, because I have to wait for my father here. And the hosts are strict, it is true, but I have a corner and a piece of bread with them. How can you advise me to drown their cows for their help?
The boy turned away from the fire. He was frightened by the unexpected speech of the blacksmith.
-Don't be afraid, boy, I just ...
-You can't even think that. Do not do to another what you do not
like to be done to you, dad used to say. I'm not going anywhere with you.
-Sure, don't go. You will sit here on the grass for hours, you will freeze, maybe get sick or die, because it seems your hosts don't care about you at all.
-I have to wait for my father.
-I'll help you find your father. I have money.
-I have nothing to do with your money. I have to wait for my
father here. Thanks for the cheese, the sausage, and the bread.
-I see you don't want anything from me. And you are not afraid of fate.
<ahref="
source "/> A blacksmith crouched by the fire tied a bundle of food and hid it under his coat. He stopped to think for a moment, he warmed his hands over the fire once again.
-You don't want anything... - repeated the blacksmith once again and took the leather sack with the blacksmith's belongings. - ...But when I'm gone, you'll be sad again - he put the sackcloth back on the grass. - You may be stupid, but I am a cruel ass, that I was trying to convince you to do evil. See that willow, boy? Here, take a knife, and bring a willow stick as your finger.
Janek hesitated, but seeing that the blacksmith was sitting next to him fire, he asked, "Why do you need a twig?"
-Bring it and you will see.
Janek looked at the knife shining in his hand, looked again to the blacksmith, and ran like the wind for the willow.
-Come on, sit down. Give me a knife. In this field, boy, there is a lot of upbeat music. I will show you how to do a flute with a branch. Look carefully. You won't be so bored when you can play.
The blacksmith took the branch, cut the stem where it was necessary, cut a hole, and after a while, he took what was left of the mouth and puff. Jasio was sitting by the blacksmith and was listening to the song of the flute, captivated.
-Now try it - said the blacksmith, putting the flute in the
Janek's hand. Janek raised the instrument to her mouth and blew, with no good effect.
-You have to learn. Look at me.
And he taught him how to play, how to blow properly, and what to do with fingers while playing. Before Janek realized, he could play the simple tunes.
-Now, boy, take the knife and get a branch a slightly thicker. Time to make a second flute and you will learn more easily.
Janek ran to the willow tree for the branch. He came back fast, but when he returned, there was no longer a blacksmith by the fire ...
Smentk, who pretended to be a blacksmith felt sorry for the boy's sake and dared to return to hell, receiving punishment rather than doing something bad to such a good person. Because of his good heart, Smentk stayed in hell to this day and is not allowed to visit Earth. More than one diabolical teacher has tried to teach him how to be bad, but teaching is still a waste of time. They say that Smentk is a smart demon, but too human-like.
Thank you for reading,
@papi.mati
what3words location of the region where that legend comes from.